Combination tooth-brush and powder-box.



W. L. MAYO.

COMBI NATION TOOTH BRUSH AND- POWDER BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAY l0. I911.

1,261,585. Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

\Nflh am LMaycl.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM L. MAYO, of BREMERTON, WASHINGTON.

COMBINATION TOOTH-BRUSH AND POWDER-BOX.

Application filed May 10, 1917.

, adapted for convenience in carrying.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device of this character wherein the toothbrush has as a part of the handle 'thereof a container or box adapted to receive tooth powder or the like, to thus obviate the necessity of providing-two separate articles, and to provide a compact and readily accessible device.

The invention further aims at the provision of a novel form of container or box for the powder which is provided with a compartment into which the toothbrush may be projected, means being provided for feeding a desired quantity of the powder to the toothbrush while projecting into the compartment. The compartment is adapted to house the toothbrush to protect the same when not in use and to also direct and distribute the powder to and over the bristles of the brush.

Various other objects and advantages of this invention, as well as the above, will be hereinafter partly described, and partly understood from the following brief description of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device constructed according to the present invention, the same being open and ready for use.

Fig. 2 'is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a section taken longitudinally and centrally through the device, showing the toothbrush folded into closed position.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3, showing the partition 'between the compartment of the casing and disclosing the valve for re ulating the feeding of the powder to the rush compartment. Q

Referring to this drawing, wherein like parts are designated by similar numerals Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

Serial No. 167,717.

of reference throughout the several views,

10 designates a casing which may be formed from sheet metal, and which is provided at one end with a screw-threaded neck 11 over which is detachably threaded a cap 12.

The casing 10 is provided, intermediate its ends, with a transversely extending par-' tition 13 dividing the casinginto two compartments. Preferably, the partition 13 is located nearer one end of the casing than the other end to provide a relatively large powder storage compartment, and a relatively small compartment at the opposite end of the casing. Preferably, the enlarged compartment opens into the neck 11 and is adapted to initially receive the charge of powder.

The partition 13 is provided at one side with a slot or opening 14 therethrough, and a regulating screw 15 is threaded through the adjacent side of the casingl 10 and engages-at its inner end in the s screw 15 is provided with a knurled head upon its outer end'adapted for engagement between the fingers to turn the screw and 0t 14. The

regulate the size of the passage through the partition 13. As shown in Fig. 3, the screw 15 may be turned into the casing to an extent to completely close the slot 14 and thus prevent passage of powder from the larger compartment into the smaller compartment.

The casing 10 is provided along one side with a pair of spaced-apart parallel strips or flanges 16 extending throughout substantially the entire length of the casing 10 and forming a housing for the reception of a back or shank 17 of a toothbrush. The shank 17 is pivoted at one end upon a pin 18 secured transversely. throu h the flanges 16 at one end thereof, and 1s adapted to swing into the space between the flanges, and outwardly from the flanges into substantially parallelism with the axis of the casing 10. For the purpose of yieldingly holding the shank 17 in closed and o ened positions, a leaf spring 19 may be emp oyed, the spring being arranged against the adJacent side of the casing 10 between the flanges 16 and adapted to bear at its free end against the inner pivoted portion of the shank. The shank 17 is provided upon its inner side and at its outer end, with a cluster of bristles 20 forming the body of the brush, the bristles 20- extending longitudinally of the shank 17 a distance equal be opened, and the casing 10 jarredsufi- 17 is preferab-l ivoted to the flanges 16 at the cap end 0 t e casing, and the smaller compartment is formed in the opposite end of the casing. Thus, when the shank 17 is swung over into closed position, as shown in Fig. 3, the bristles 20 project down into the smaller Compartment, which latter is opened through the adjacent side of the casing 10. The outer extremlty of the shank 17. is preferably provided with a notch or groove 21 therein adapted to receive the finger nail to insure the ready grasping of the shank for lifting the brush out of the housing therefor.

In use, it is only necessary to spring the shank 17 outwardly from between the flanges 16 against the tension of the spring 19. The spring 19 holds the shank 17 mto extended position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that" the bristles 20 project upwardly from the shank. The casinglO may now be grasped 'in thehand, and aifords a suitable handheld to admit of the firm grasping of the device. After the brush has been used and cleansed, the latter may be swung about its pivot 18 into the housing therefor, the bristles projecting intothe small compartment in the casing.

P 'or to using the brush,the valve 15 may j ciently to feed the owder from the storage compartment into't e feeding compartment. When asuficie'nt amount of powder has been deliverd into the smaller feeding compartment, the'casing may then be overturned to deposit the powderupon the bristles 20. As the bristles 2Q extend substantially the en- -tire length of the feeding compartment, the

, casing may then be jarred to spread the powder over the entire surface of the bristles to thus evenly distribute the powder. When the device is not in use it is preferable to close the-valve 15, and it will be noted from Fig. 1 that when the valve is closed the head thereof lies flat against the adjacent side of the casing 10. The device is relatively small,

is compact, and is strong and durable. A

large quantity of powder may be carried in menses the casing and fed to the bristles in small quantities as desired.

It is of course understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction to-provide a fanciful casing, and a brush of the desired form, without departing from the spirit of this invention, and being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

1. In a toothbrush, the combination of a casing having a partition dividing the same into a storage compartment at one end and a feeding compartment at its other end, a

housing secured longitudinally and exteriorly of the casing at one'side, said casing having a longitudinal opening in said side atone side of the partition opening into the adjacent end of the housing, a brush shank pivoted in the other end of the housing and having a bunch of bristles near its outer end and adapted to be swung into the housing for projecting the bristles 'through said opening and into the feeding compartment, and a valve in the partition for admitting quantities of a dentifrice from the storage to the feeding compartment.

2. In a device as specified, the combination of an elongated casing having a storage compartment in one end and a feeding compartment in its opposite end, a housing comprislng a pair of spaced-apart flanges arranged longitudinally against one side of the casing to form a housing therebetween, said casing having an opening in its side between said flanges connecting the housing with the feeding compartment, a toothbrush pivotally mounted between said flanges adj acent to the end of the casing remote from said feeding compartment, and adapted to be folded down into the space between the flanges with the bristles thereof projecting into said feeding compartment, a spring arranged between the flanges for yieldingly holding the toothbrush in folded and extended positions, and a valve controlling the passage of material from the storage compartment into the feeding compartment of the casing.

WILLIAM L. MAYO. 

